Automatic ice making devices



Aug. 14, 1962 E. B. ARCHER 3,048,986

AUTOMATIC ICE MAKING DEVICES Filed Nov. 19, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR. 590m; 15. fiecasq Aug. 14, 1962 E. B. ARCHER 3,048,986

AUTOMATIC ICE MAKING DEVICES Filed Nov. 19, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 EYLING5. AQCHEQ A rro /vey Aug. 1962 E. B. ARCHER 3,048,986

AUTOMATIC ICE MAKING DEVICES Filed Nov. 19, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 5'all!!!Ill/11111111111111![Ill/I E L/-6- 5. Apcuezq BY WP 1 4% UnitedStates Patent 3,043,936 AUTGMATHQ ICE MAKING DEVI CES Erling B. Archer,33--74- 191st L, Flushing, ELY. Filed Nov. 19, W59, Ser. No. 854,138 19Claims. (Cl. 62-345) This invention relates to automatic ice makingdevices, and in particular to apparatus for use in a standardrefrigerator for the purpose of freezing and harvesting blocks of ice,commonly referred to as ice cubes.

There are available on the market at the present time, for use inhousehold refrigerators, several different types of ice cube makingdevices, some of which are fully automatic and provide a continuoussupply of ice cubes, while others are semiautomatic or evennon-automatic in that they require removal of a formed batch of cubesfrom the storage bin and/or manual emptying of the ice mold or trayprior to the formation of the next batch of ice cubes. Several of suchice makers further require thermostatically controlled heating means incooperative relationship with the ice mold for loosening the ice cubesfrom the mold surfaces so as to enable associated gripper and/orconveyor means to remove the cubes from the mold. By their very nature,these lastmentioned ice makers still further entail the provision ofmeans for drying the wet surfaces of the removed ice cubes prior totransfer of the latter to the storage bin.

For the foregoing and a variety of other reasons, the known ice cubemaking devices have failed to find full acceptance in the market. Aswill be readily appreciated, they are extremely expensive to produce anddiflicult to incorporate or install in commonly available refrigerators.Moreover, with respect to those devices which are less than fullyautomatic, proper functioning thereof depends on constant attention bythe possessor of the refrigerator, and since freezing of a new batch ofcubes in such non-automatic devices cannot be initiated until thepreceding batch has been removed from the mold, the possibility of aninsufficient supply of cubes in the event of a sudden, heavy demandtherefor is always present. Still another problem which has not yet beensatisfactorily resolved in such known ice cube making devices is that ofaccelerating the freezing of water in the mold, with the object ofpossibly reducing the freezing time for each batch of cubes to anhour orless.

It is, therefore, an important object of the present invention toprovide novel ice cube making devices which are substantially automaticin operation and free of the disadvantages and drawbacks inherent inknown devices of this type.

Another object of the present invention is to provide automatic icemaking apparatus greatly simplified in construction and capable of beingemployed with all refrigerators having a freezer compartment normallymaintained at a temperature below the freezing point of water.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of means,in an automatic ice cube freezing device of the aforesaid type, whichare effective to reduce materially the time required for each freezingcycle.

A more specific object of the present invention is to provide apivotally mounted ice mold or tray in conjunction with means for blowingcold air against the tray in all of the different positions of thelatter for the purpose of accelerating the freezing period.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide cam means foreffecting the ejection of ice cubes from the ice mold, which cam meansmay comprise two cams one of which serves to loosen the ice cubes in thetray or mold while still incompletely frozen, and the other of whichserves as the actual cube ejector.

3,048,985 Patented Aug. 14, 1962 A further object of the presentinvention is to provide novel supply-responsive means in associationwith the ice cube storage means for such ice making devices, whichsupply-responsive means are effective to interrupt the ice-formingoperation as soon as a predetermined quantity of ice cubes has beencollected in the storage means.

Still a further object of the present invention is the provision of suchice making devices which are inexpensive to construct and maintain andwhich are sufliciently economical to warrant their incorporation in allstandard refrigerators at a minimum of extra cost to the ultimateconsumers.

The foregoing and other objects, characteristics and advantages of thepresent invention will be more fully understood from the followingdetailed description thereof when read in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, partly sectional illustration of a refrigeratorfreezer cabinet as seen from the front of the refrigerator and shows thefeatures of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partly sectional, fragmentary View of the freezer cabinet asseen from one side of the refrigerator;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 33 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4- is a partly sectional, fragmentary view of the structure shownin FIG. 1 and illustrates the ice cube freezing device in one stage ofoperation thereof;

FIG. 5 is a View similar to FIG. 4 and illustrates the device in anotheroperational stage thereof;

FIG. 6 is a perspective elevational View of the cam means employed as apart of the device according to the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line 7-7 in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along the line 8-3 in FIG. 5;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary, perspective view of the means for clearingaccumulated ice particles from the water feed tube or conduit employedin accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along the line 1tl- 10 in FIG. 2.

Referring now more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, itwill be seen that a refrigerator 20, having a freezer cabinet 21maintained at a temperature below the freezing point of water, isprovided with an ice cube freezing device 22 in one of the rear cornersof the freezer cabinet. The freezing device 22 comprises a substantiallyU-shaped sheet metal supporting frame 23 having upstanding side members23a and 23b and a transverse or bottom member 23c. The side member 23aof the supporting frame 23 is provided at its free, upper edge with apair of ears 24 by means of which it is suspended on a horizontal rod25, the latter being in turn supported adjacent the roof or top wall 26of the freezer cabinet by means of brackets 27 and 28. The secondvertical side member 2312 of the frame 23 is provided on its outersurface with a pad 29 of rubber or other resilient, plastic material(either natural or synthetic) and at its inner surface adjacent itsuppermost edge with an abutment member or bar 30 extending substantiallyalong the entire front to rear dimension of the frame. The bottom ortransverse member 230 of the frame 23 is provided with a large opening31 which preferably is stamped out of the plate of which the frame ismade.

The refrigerator 20 has a rear wall 32 which may be hollow and filledwith any suitable type of insulating material. A tubular conduit 33extends from the outer surface of the rear wall of the refrigerator tothe interior of the freezer cabinet 21. Fixedly positioned at theoutside of the refrigerator about the mouth of the tube or conduit 33 isan apertured mounting plate 34 which supports a solenoid valve 35. Thevalve 35 is normally closed and is adapted to be opened uponenergization of its operating coil (not shown) via a pair of conductors36 connected with spaced coil terminals 37 and with a control circuitstill to be described. A flexible tube 38, which may be connected at oneend to any suitable reservoir or source of water, communicates with thevalve 35 and thus is adapted to communicate through the latter with thefeed or inlet tube 33.

Located within the freezer compartment 21 is an ice mold or tray 39which comprises a rigid, preferably metallic frame 43 and awater-receiving body 41 made of polyethylene, rubber or any otherelastic (synthetic or natural) plastic material. The body 41 is dividedinto a plurality of pockets 42 each of substantially half-moon shapewhich are seperated from one another at their outer surfaces, as bestshown in FIG. 2. The tray frame 43 has side edges 40a and 431;, a frontedge 40c and a rear edge 40d. A roller 40 is journaled in the side edge4% of the tray frame for a purpose to be explained more fullyhereinafter.

Attached to the tray frame 40 at the front edge We thereof is anupstanding bracket 43 provided with an ear or like annular bearingmember 44 through which extends a horizontal bearing pin 45 affixed to astationary bracket 46 suspended from the roof or top wall 26 of thefreezer cabinet, as shown at 47. A small cotter pin 43, or if desired anut, lock Washer or other retaining member, is mounted on the free endportion of the bearing pin 45 and prevents accidental sliding of thebearing member 44 off the pin. The rear edge 43d of the tray frame 40carries a bearing member or car 49 which rotatably surrounds the tube33. The axis of the tube 33 is aligned with that of the pin 45, and thetray is thus pivotally mounted for swinging movement about this axis.Undesired movement of the tray 39 toward the rear wall of therefrigerator is inhibited by a washer or split ring t mounted on thetube 33. It will be understood that the tray 39 can be easily mounted onor removed from its journals 45 and 33, this requiring only the removalof the cotter pin or other retaining member 48 from the bearing pin 45.

Aflixed to the tray frame 40 at the side edge 4% thereof is acounterweight 51. The balance conditions of the tray or ice mold 39 aresuch that when the pockets 4 2 are empty the tray is tilted upwardly tothe extent permitted by a stop or like member 52 aflixed to the innersurface of the vertical member 23a of the supporting frame 23, whilewhen the pockets 42 are filled with water or ice the tray is sounbalanced as to tend to move toward the broken-line position thereofshown in FIG. 1. Such movement is ordinarily inhibited by a latch member53 rockably mounted on a pivot pin 54 carried by the frame member 23aand adapted to engage the underside of the tray frame side edge 40a. Thelatch member 53 is biased to its tray-engaging position by a smalltorsion spring or like element 55 and is positively connected with adownwardly extending arm 56 having at its lowermost end an extension56a. Thus, a counterclockwise rocking of the arm 56 (as seen in FIG. 1)will cause the latch member 53 to be retracted from the tray frame 49 soas to permit the tray 39 to drop into its downwardly slanted position.The means for causing such a rocking movement of the arm 56 will be morefully described hereinafter.

The side member 23a of the supporting frame 23 is provided a shortdistance above the horizontal or transverse member 230 with an opening57 in which is arranged with the aid of a conventional rubber mounting58 an electric motor 59 having two output shafts 60 and 61. The motor 59is adapted to be energized through a pair of conductors 62 connected 0tany suitable source of power, for example, the main power line of therefrigerator 23 itself. The shaft 6% is connected with a reducing gearmechanism 63 mounted on the horizontal supporting frame member 230adjacent the opening 31 of the latter, while the shaft 61 is connectedto the impeller or bladed rotor (not shown) of a suction fan 64supported from the frame member 23a by means of a mounting bracket 65.

The reducing gear mechanism 63 is provided with an output shaft 66 whichcarries at its free end a transverse extension or arm 67 which isadapted to be rotated in a clockwise direction as seen from theright-hand side of FIG. 1. As clearly shown in FIGS. 1, 6 and 7, the arm67 carries at its trailing outside edge 67a a hinge 63 by means of whicha relatively large cam 69 is pivotally connected to the arm. This camwill hereinafter be referred to at times as the cube ejection cam, Thearm 67 further carries on its outer face 67b and at a locationintermediate the hinge 68 and the shaft 66 a smaller cam 73 which willhereinafter be referred to at times as the cube loosening cam. Withrespect to the larger cam 69, it will be seen that as long as theleading outside edge 67c of the arm s7 is disposed above the trailingedge 67a, i.e., after the arm 67 during its rotation has passed thedownwardly directed vertical position thereof, the cam 63 will hang fromthe arm by means of the hinge 68 and will thus not be in a position tocatch on the tray frame 4% when the latter is in the broken-lineposition thereof indicated in FIG. 1. When the arm 67 passes theupwardly directed vertical position thereof, however, the cam 69 willflip over and fall against the surface 67b of the arm 67. At this itmethe operative surface 6% of the cam 69 will be in a position to engagethe roller 40' in the side edge 4th: of the tray frame 40, as will bemore fully explained presently.

Positioned below the supporting frame 23 is a bin or receptacle 71 whichis adapted to receive ice cubes ejected from the tray 39 and to storethe cubes until the same are used, a door 71' being provided, if desiredto facilitate removal of the cubes from the bin. For the purpose ofpreventing an accumulation of an oversupply of ice cubes, the side wall71a of the bin 71 is cut away at its uppermost edge a certain distancebelow the level of the upper edges of the remaining walls of the bin.Hingedly mounted on the upper edge of the bin wall 71a at 72 is atrough-shaped flange 73 to which is connected a lug or stop member 74.The flange 73 extends outwardly of the bin '71, and the stop member '74projects into the bin 71. The flange and stop member are normallyretained in the position thereof illustrated in FIG. 1 by means of alight torsion spring "75. The upper edge of the flange 73 is disposedadjacent the operative posi tion of a switch arm 76 of a microswitch '77which is connected by means of a pair of conductors 78 to the power lineconductors 62 of the motor 59. The switch arm 76 is adapted to be movedto the broken-line posi tion thereof indicated in FIG. 1, so as to openthe switch 77 and interrupt operation of the motor 59, when the flange73 is rocked in a counterclockwise direction upon accumulation thereonof a predetermined quantity of ice cubes.

Aflixed to the exterior surface of the bin wall 71a by means of a pairof brackets '79 is a tube or pipe 80 the uppermost end of which isconnected to a flexible conduit 81 communicating at its other end withthe outlet port 64a of the suction fan 64. The bin itself is mounted ona plurality of flanges 82 (only one of which is shown) which definebelow :the bin 71 a substantially air-tight space 83. The lowermost endof the pipe 80 communicates with the space 83 through the flange 82located below the wall 71a. Arranged Within the space 83, preferably bybeing attached to the bottom Wall 7112 of the bin 71, are severalpartition members 84 which do not extend all the way across the space 33but are staggered with respect to one another so as to define a tortuousflow path for air, as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 3.

The side wall 710 of the bin 71 opposite the wall 71a is provided with arecessed portion 85 by means of which there is defined between the binand the adjacent side wall 21a of the freezer cabinet an elongatedrecess or passageway 86 the lowermost end of which communicates with thespace 33 beneath the bin. Positioned atop the bin wall 71c influid-tight connection with the passageway 86 is a duct 87 which extendsupwardly at a slant from the bin wall 710 through the opening 31 in thesupporting frame 23 and terminates adjacent the downwardly slantedposition of the ice mold or tray 39 (see FIG. 1). The length of the duct87 as measured from the front to the rear of the freezer cabinet 21 issubstantially the same as that of the tray 39.

Referring again to the output shaft 66 of the reducing gear mechanismas, it will be seen that there is provided on this shaft a lateralprojection or arm 38 which moves with the shaft as the same rotates. Thelength of the arm 88 is such that at one point of its angular travel itcan engage the extension 56a of the latch-operating arm 56 (see alsoFIG. 8). When the arm 88, while in motion, engages the extension Eda,the latter and therewith the arm 56 are rocked counterclockwise (as seenin FIG. 1) about the axis of the pivot pin 54 so as to withdraw thelatch member 53 from beneath the tray frame side edge -itla. The arm orprojection 88 and the cams 69 and 70 thus constitutes cam means operableto render the latch or holding means 53-55 ineffective after apredetermined time interval so as to permit the tray to move from itshorizontal position to its downwardly slanted position, the cam meansbeing also operable to effect a deformation of the tray body 41' and theconsequent ejection of ice cubes therefrom while the tray is in itsdownwardly slanted position.

In accordance with the present invention there is fun ther providedmeans for ensuring that the interior of the inlet tube 33 can neverbecome clogged by accumulated ice. Referring in particular to FIGS. 2, 9and 10, it will be seen that attached to the tray frame side edge 4% isan upstanding bracket 39 to the uppermost end of which is connected anarcuately shaped scraper blade 90 which extends into the tube 33substantially concentrically with the latter. When the tray 39 is in itshorizontal position, i.e., filled with water or ice and resting on thelatch member 53, the scraper blade 90 is substantially in the positionshown in FIG. 10. When the latch 53 is withdrawn and the tray pivotsdownwardly, the scraper blade 90 is rotated within the tube 33 in aclockwise direction (as seen in FIG. 16), whereby the relatively sharpedge 96a of the blade 91} scrapes any ice particles which have formed inthe tube 33 from the surface of the latter. In this manner, the loosenedice particles will be swept into the tray or mold 39 when the nextcharge of water flows through the inlet tube 33.

Associated with the scraper blade is an arrangement for controlling theflow of water to be frozen through the valve 35 and the tube 33. Asclearly shown in FIG. 9, there is aifixed to the scraper blade adjacentthe free end thereof, i.e., that end which is located immediatelyadjacent the valve mounting plate 34, a small contact element or plate91 which is insulated from the remainder of the blade 90 as well as fromall other parts of the apparatus. The width of the contact plate 91 issuch that it can bridge the gap between a pair of terminals 92 mountedon the inside of the tube 33 and connected by means of leads 93 to theterminals 37 of the solenoid valve 35. The circuitry is such that thecoil of the solenoid valve is energized to open the valve only when theterminals 92 are connected to one another by the contact plate 91. Theposition of the element 91 is so chosen, in accordance with the presentinvention, that the terminals 92 are connected to one another only whenthe tray 39 is tilted upwardly, and that the connection between theseterminals is broken approximately at the time that the tray becomeshorizontal, i.e., when it is filled with the desired quantity of water.

The operation of the automatic ice cube making device according to thepresent invention will thus be seen to be as follows, reference beinghad in particular to FIGS. 1, 2, 4 and 5.

At the beginning, it is assumed that the tray 39 is filled with waterand that it has just come to rest in a horizontal state with the trayframe edge 40a engaging the latch member 53. The motor 59, which ispreferably a small constant speed motor available commercially at verylittle cost, is operated continuously. The output shaft 61 rotates atthe motor speed and thus drives the bladed wheel or rotor of the suctionfan 64 at a relatively rapid speed to draw air from the freezer cabinetinto the conduit Ell-8i This air, which is already at a relatively lowtemperature, is thus forced to flow through the space 83 beneath thestorage bin 71. In this space, the air is passed over and further cooledby the horizontal evaporator coils (not shown) normally contained in thebottom wall 21b of the freezer cabinet, and due to the provision of thestaggered partitions 84, the How path of the air through the space 83 islengthened to increase the interval of time during which the air iscooled. Upon flowing up through the passageway 86, the already cooledair is still further cooled by contact with the vertical evaporatorcoils (not shown) located in the side wall 21a of the freezer cabinet.Consequently, the air flowing out of the duct 87 and into the spacewithin the supporting frame 23 and below the horizontal tray 39 is at amuch lower temperature than the ambient air in the freezer compartmentdrawn in by the suction fan 64. The water in the tray pockets 4-2 isthus subjected to a much lower temperature than has been possible orcustomary in the known freezing devices of this type and begins tosolidify in a much shorter period of time than has heretofore beenpossible.

Concurrently with the foregoing, the output shaft 60 of the motor 59drives the reducing tgear mechanism 63 which is so constructed that theoutput shaft 66 thereof rotates at a much slower speed, for example, tomake one complete revolution per hour or hour and a quarter, dependingon the freezing time. At this particular point of the freezing cycle, itmay be assumed that the cam arm 67 is disposed at a downward slant outof the plane of the paper as seen in FIG. 1 and that, therefore, theejection cam 69 is still lying flat against the outer surface 67b of thearm 67. After a period of approximately 20 minutes, the shaft 66 willhave been rotated sufliciently far that the cam arm 67 extends at asmall downward slant into the plane of the paper as seen in FIG. 1. Atthis time, the arm or projection 88 engages the curved contact surface56b of the extension 560 of the arm 56 (see FIG. 8) and rocks the latterupwardly to retract the latch member 53 from beneath the tray frame 40.The tray 39 is thus permitted to drop from its horizontal, solid-lineposition shown in FIG. 1 to its broken-line position. Although the waterin the various pockets 42 of the tray is not yet completely frozen, itwill be understood by those skilled in the art that the water is partlyfrozen into solid shells of ice each having a still fluid core of water.Thus, despite the fact that the tray drops against the abutment bar 30before the water is entirely frozen, this entails no disadvantage forthe present invention since no water can spill out of the tray.

As the rotation of the shaft 66 continues and brings the arm 67 into itshorizontal position directed into the plane of the paper as seen in FIG.1, the outer surface 70a of the small cam 70 comes into engagement withthe adjacent edge 40a of the tray frame 40 and pushes the latter towardthe member 23b of the supporting frame 23, which pushing action causes aslight indenting of the tray pockets 42 by the abutment bar 30, asclearly shown in FIG. 4. The still not completely frozen cubes in theace-sees tray 39 will, consequently, be slightly loosened from the innersurfaces of their respective pockets 42 without, however, being ejectedfrom the latter. There is no danger, in the system according to thepresent invention, that this loosening process will result in anyspilling of water from the mold. This is due to the fact that not onlywere the ice cubes already in solid shell form, but during the fewminutes preceding the contact between the cam 70 and the tray frame 46the cubes were located in the immediate vicinity of the duct 87 andwere, therefore, subjected to the flow of extremely cold air issuingtherefrom, which cold air in those few minutes effected an acceleratedfreezing of whatever water was still left in the tray pockets 42 to anextent much greater than could be accomplished in known devices of thistype even over much longer periods of time. In this connection it is tobe noted that the supporting frame 23 additionally functions as a typeof shield or separator between the region in which the tray is locatedand the remainder of the freezer compartment, thereby ensuring that thecold air from the duct 87 is substantially completely used for freezingthe water in the tray and does not diffuse into the remainder of thecompartment until its freezing action has been performed.

During the so far described part of the rotation of the shaft 66, thecam 69 is still hanging downwardly from the trailing edge 67a of the arm67, so that the tray does not hinder the upward movement of the arm.When the arm 67 passes its upwardly vertical position and begins itsdownward movement, however, the cam 69 falls over against the armsurface 6717, thus placing the outer surface 69a of the cam in positionfor engaging the roller 40' carried by the tray frame 40 (see FIG. Thecam 69, upon sliding past the tray as the arm rotates, forces the trayframe a considerable distance toward the supporting frame member 23b, asa result of which the tray pockets 4-2 are greatly deformed by theabutment bar 30. The by now completely solid ice cubes 94 are thuspositively ejected from the tray and fall through the opening 31 in thebottom member 230 of the frame 23 into the storage bin 71. This ejectionis accomplished rapidly and without requiring too powerful a motor 59due to the fact that the preceding loosening of the cubes by the smallcam 70 considerably facilitates the final separation of the cubes of theinner surfaces of the tray pockets 42.

It will be understood that as the cam 69 pushes the tray 39 toward theframe member 23b, considerable reaction forces may be exerted on themember 23a and on the motor mounting 58. it is for the purpose ofavoiding any possible damage to the affected parts of the device thatthe supporting frame 23 is mounted on the rod 25, whereby the frame as aunit can rock slightly about the axis of the rod 25 accompanied at worstby only a slight deflection of the member 23b.

As soon as the tray is emptied, the counterweight 51 again becomeseffective to swing the tray upwardly past the latch member 53 and intoan upwardly slanted position (not shown) in Which the roller 40" engagesthe stop member 52 affixed to the supporting frame member 23a. Thecontact element 91 now bridges the gap between the electrical terminals92 mounted in the feed tube 33, whereby the solenoid valve 35 isactuated to permit water to how from conduit 38 into the tray 39. As thetray pockets 42 become filled, the tray begins to return to itshorizontal position against the action of the counterweight 51, until atthe time the pockets are completely filled with the desired quantity ofwater the tray becomes horizontal and the contact element 91 leaves theterminals 92, deactuating and closing the solenoid valve 35 to preventfurther flow of water into the tray.

The entire operational cycle heretofore described is now repeated, andthereafter over and over again, until the bin 71 becomes filled withcubes 94. As soon as some of the cubes spill over onto the flange 73,the latter is weighed down and moved slightly to the left (as shown inFIG. 1)

E5 and shifts the switch arm'76 so as to open switch '77 and interruptthe operation of the motor 5h. When this condition obtains, no furtherejection of ice cubes can take place and, of course, no refilling of thetray can take place since the contact element $1 remains stationary anddoes not engage the terminals 92. Only when the excess ice cubes havebeen removed from the flange 73 can another operational cycle beinitiated.

From the foregoing it will be appreciated that the present inventionleads to a number of advantages unattainable by any of the known icecube freezing devices. For example, in the known devices the ice cubetray is always located in one position, usually either on the surfacecovering the refrigerating coils of the freezer compartment or on ametallic plate connected to that surface. In either case, the freezingof the water takes place by conduction which, as will be readilyunderstood by those skilled in the art, is a relatively slow process.The major disadvantage of this type of freezing action, which may takeas long as two hours or more for each trayful of water, is that thesupply of ice cubes may run short in the event of a sudden heayy demandtherefor. The present invention eliminates this disadvantage byemploying a forced fiow of frigid air directed against the bottom of thetray, as a result of which it is found that each tray-load of ice cubesis formed in approximately one-half the time required by theconventional freezing methods. This accelerated freezing, as effected bythe present invention, is enhanced by virtue of the fact that the waterin the tray, after being initially partly frozen by a stream of frigidair traveling over a considerable distance, is then brought into theimmediate vicinity of the said stream of air. In this connection, it isto be noted that other means than a suction fan may be employed forbringing about the forced flow of cold air required by the presentinvention.

It will further be appreciated that in a broad sense the presentinvention contemplates the performance of an ice cube freezing operationin two stages. In the first of these stages the ice cube tray filledwith water is disposed substantially horizontally, for example, in theimmediate vicinity of the upper horizontal cooling coil of the freezercompartment, while in the second stage the tray, now filled with partlyformed ice cubes as hereinbefore described, is disposed substantiallyvertically, i.e., in the immediate vicinity of the vertical freezing orcooling coils of the freezer compartment. In its more specific form, ofcourse, the present invention provides that the normal freezing actionof the aforesaid cooling coils of the freezer compartment issupplemented by a flow of frigid air around the ice cube tray in all ofthe positions thereof, which air has itself first been subjected to thecooling action of the freezer compartment coils.

It will be understood that the foregoing description of the apparatusaccording to the present invention is for the purpose of illustrationonly and that the disclosed structure and structural arrangements aresubject to a number of changes and variations none of which involves anydeparture from the spirit and scope of the present invention as setforth in the appended claims. Merely by way of example, other types ofvalves, not actuatable by means of a solenoid, may be employed in lieuof the valve 35, and different cam arrangements could be used in lieu ofthe means e/ ea-7e.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. In an automatic ice cube freezing and harvesting apparatus; ice moldmeans adapted to contain water to be frozen into ice cubes, meansmounting said ice mold means for pivotal movement between asubstantially horizontal position and a downwardly slanted position, airflow means for effecting a forced flow of cold air over said ice moldmeans and comprising duct means adapted to discharge said cold air at alocation adjacent one of said positions of said ice mold means, andmeans operable to retain said ice mold means in said horizontal posi- 9tion for an initial portion of the freezing period for the water thereinand to release said ice mold means to swing under the weight of thepartially frozen water therein to said downwardly slanted position for afinal portion of the freezing period.

2. In an apparatus according to claim 1; said ice mold means comprisinga deformable elastic body for containing said water, and cam meansoperable for engaging said ice mold means to effect a deformation ofsaid body and the consequent ejection of formed ice cubes from saidbody.

3. In an apparatus according to claim 2; motor means operativelyconnected to said cam means for moving the same at the proper timeduring each freezing cycle into engagement with said ice mold means toeffect the ice ejecting deformation of said body.

4. In an apparatus according to claim 3; said air flow means comprisingfan means, conduit means for conducting air from said fan means to saidduct means, said motor means being operatively connected with said fanmeans for driving the same jointly with said cam means, and meanslocated adjacent the path of flow of said air from said fan means tosaid duct means for reducing the temperature of said air prior toarrival of the latter at said duct means.

5. In an apparatus according to claim 3; said cam means comprising afirst relatively smaller cam and a second relatively larger cam, saidfirst cam upon engaging said ice mold means effecting a relatively minordeformation of said body to cause loosening of formed ice cubes withinsaid body, and said second cam effecting a relatively major deformationof said body to cause the previously loosened ice cubes to be ejectedfrom said body.

6. In an apparatus according to claim 5; supporting frame means mountingsaid motor means, said cam means, said fan means and said retainingmeans, and abutment means carried by said supporting frame means at alocation adjcent said downwardly slanted position of said ice mold meansand opposite the region of action of said cam means, whereby said cammeans when engaging said ice mold means press the latter toward saidabutment means and cause said body of said ice mold means to be deformedby said abutment means.

7. In an apparatus according to claim 6; storage bin means positionedbelow said ice mold means and said supporting frame means, said mountingmeans for said ice mold means being located within the confines of saidsupporting frame means, and said supporting frame means being openintermediate said ice mold means and said storage bin means to permitice cubes ejected from said ice mold means to fall into said storage binmeans, and quantity-responsive means operatively connected with saidstorage bin means and operable to interrupt the operation of said motormeans upon accumulation of a predetermined quantity of ice cubes in saidstorage bin means.

8. In an apparatus according to claim 7; said quantityresponsive meanscomprising substantially trough-shaped flange means pivotally connectedto one side Wall of said storage bin means at a level below the topplane of said storage bin means, said motor means being provided withswitch means having an operating arm disposed in the path of movement ofsaid flange means, whereby upon movement of said flange means out of therest position thereof due to ice cubes spilling over onto said flangemeans, said operating arm of said switch means is moved to interruptoperation of said motor means.

9. In an apparatus according to claim 8; feed pipe means adapted toconduct water to be frozen into said ice mold means, said feed pipemeans constituting a part of said mounting means for said ice moldmeans, and scraper blade means carried by said ice mold means formovement therewith and extending into said feed pipe means, whereby uponpivotal movement of said ice mold means ice particles which haveaccumulated in said feed pipe means will be scraped off the interiorsurface of the latter to prevent clogging of said feed pipe means.

10. In an apparatus according to claim 9; counterweight means carried bysaid ice mold means at one side of the axis of pivotal movement thereof,the balance conditions of said counterweight means and said ice moldmeans being predetermined to ensure movement of said ice mold means whenempty to an upwardly slanted position and when filled to said horizontalposition.

11. In an apparatus according to claim 10; solenoid valve meanscontrolling the inlet to said feed pipe means, a pair of spacedelectrical terminals arranged in said feed pipe means and constituting apart of the energiza tion circuit for said solenoid valve means, and acontact element carried by said scraper blade means and dimensioned tobridge the gap between said electrical terminals, said contact elementbeing positioned on said scraper blade means so as to be out of contactwith said terminals whenever said ice mold means is in said horizontaland downwardly slanted positions thereof and so as to be in contact withsaid terminals only when said ice mold means is slanted upwardlyrelative to said horizontal position.

12. In combination with a household refrigerator having a freezercompartment; an ice cube tray pivotally mounted in said freezercompartment for angular movement between an upwardly slantedwater-receiving position, a substantially horizontal position and adownwardly slanted position, a valved feed pipe which communicates withsaid tray and is open when the latter is in said upwardly slantedposition thereof and closed when said tray is in said horizontal anddownwardly slanted positions thereof, and means mounted in said freezercompartment for effecting a forced flow of cold air over said ice cubetray in said horizontal and downwardly slanted positions thereof tocause accelerated freezing of the water in said tray in the respectivepositions.

13. in combination with a household refrigerator having a freezercompartment; an ice cube tray having a rigid frame and a resilientlydeformable elastic plastic body supported by said frame, stationarypivot means mounted in said freezer compartment, said ice cube traybeing swingably connected with said pivot means for angular movementbetween an upwardly slanted waterreceiviug position, a substantiallyhorizontal position and a downwardly slanted position, an abutmentmember the length of which is coextensive with the length of said body,said abutment member being positioned in said freezer compartmentadjacent said downwardly slanted position of said ice cube tray, meansfor efiecting a forced flow of cold air over said ice cube tray in saidhorizontal and downwardly slanted positions thereof to cause anaccelerated freezing of the water in said tray, and cam means operablefor engaging an adjunct of said frame of said ice cube tray for pushingsaid body of said ice cube tray against said abutment member, wherebysaid body is deformed and formed ice cubes are ejected from said tray.

14. The combination set forth in claim 13, further comprising anelectric motor operatively connected to said cam means for bringing thelatter into engagement with said adjunct of said frame of said ice cubetray at a predetermined time during each freezing cycle, said means foreffecting said forced flow of cold air comprising a fan for drawing airfrom the interior of said freezer compartment, and along the coolingcoils associated with said freezer compartment, and a duct for directingthe so cooled air toward said ice cube tray from below the same, saidelectric motor being drivingly connected to said fan.

15. In combination with a household refrigerator having a freezercompartment; a supporting frame of substantially U-shaped cross-sectionand having a central bottom member and a pair of upstanding side membersat the opposite ends of said bottom member, first pivot means mounted insaid freezer compartment, said supporting frame having the uppermostedge of one of said ide members connected to said first pivot means forpermitting rocking movement of said supporting frame, the other of saidside members of said supporting frame being shorter than said one sidemember and normally in face to face engagement with a side wall of saidfreezer compartment, said bottom member of said supporting frame beingprovided with an opening, an ice cube tray having a rigid frame and adeformable elastic plastic body connected to the same, second pivotmeans mounted in said freezer compartment within the confines of saidsupporting frame, said ice cube tray being connected with said secondpivot means for angular movement between an upwardly slantedWater-receiving position, a substantially horizontal initial freezingposition and a downwardly slanted final freezing position, a feed pipefor directing water into said tray, a valve controlling said feed pipe,said valve being open in response to location of said tray when empty insaid upwardly slanted position thereof and closed in response tolocation of said tray when filled in said horizontal position thereof,an abutment member carried by said other side member of said supportingframe and having a length which is coextensive with the length of saidbody of said ice cube tray, said abutment member being located at saiddownwardly slanted position of said ice cube tray, an electric motormounted on said one side member of said supporting frame and providedwith first and second output shafts, a suction fan mounted on said oneside member of said supporting frame exteriorly of the confines of thelatter and connected to said first output shaft to be driven thereby,said suction fan when driven drawing air from that section of saidfreezer compartment outside said supporting frame, conduit means fordirecting said drawn air from said suction fan along the refrigeratingcoils associated with said freezer compartment to enable cooling of saiddrawn air, a duct communicating with said conduit means and extendingupwardly therefrom through said opening in said bottom member of saidsupporting frame for directing the cooled air toward said ice cube trayfrom below the same, reducing gearing connected to said second outputshaft of said electric motor, cam means operatively connected to saidreducing gearing and driven thereby and adapted to engage an adjunct ofsaid frame of said ice cube tray when the latter is in said downwardlyslanted position so as to displace said tray frame angularly in thedirection of said abutment member, whereby said body is deformed andformed ice cubes ejected therefrom, latch means mounted on said one sidemember of said supporting frame and for holding said tray in saidhorizontal position thereof when filled with water to be frozen, meansdriven by said reducing gearing for releasing said latch member so as topermit movement of said tray under the weight of frozen water therein tosaid downwardly slanted position thereof, and a storage bin positionedbelow said supporting frame and adapted to receive ice cubes ejectedfrom said tray and falling out of said supporting frame through saidopening in said bottom member of the latter, said storage bin beingprovided with means for interrupting the operation of said electricmotor upon accumulation of a predetermined quantity of ice cubes in saidstorage bin.

16. in an automatic ice cube freezing and harvesting apparatus; an icecube tray mounted for pivotal movement between an upwardly slantedposition, a substantially horizontal position and a downwardly slantedposition, a feed pipe for directing water into said tray, a valvecontrolling said feed pipe, a member connected to and movable with saidtray and controlling the operation of said valve so that the latter isclosed when said tray is in said horizontal and downwardly slantedpositions, and open only when said tray moves to said upwardly slantedposition thereof, and means for effecting a forced flow of cold air oversaid tray when filled with water and located in both said horizontal anddownwardly slanted positions thereof to effect an accelerated freezingof said water in the respective positions.

17. In an apparatus according to claim 16; means operable to releasablyhold said tray, when filled, in said horizontal position, and cam meansoperable to render said holding means ineffective after a predeterminedtime interval so as to permit said tray to move to said downwardlyslanted position thereof.

18. in an apparatus according to claim 17; said tray comprising aresiliently deformable body for containing said water, and said cammeans being further operable to effect a deformation of said body andthe consequent ejection of formed ice cubes from said body while saidtray is in said downwardly slanted position.

19. In an automatic ice cube freezing and harvesting apparatus;resiliently deformable ice mold means adapted to contain Water to befrozen into ice cubes; means mounting said ice mold means for pivotalmovement between an upwardly slanted position, a substantiallyhorizontal position and a downwardly slanted position, counterweightmeans connected with said ice mold means and operable to move said icemold means when empty to said upwardly slanted position, air flow meansfor effecting a forced flow of cold air over said ice mold means andcomprising means defining a duct adapted to discharge said cold air at alocation adjacent said ice mold means, means operable to releasablyretain said ice mold means when filled in said horizontal positionthereof until rendered ineffective so as to permit movement of said icemold means to said downwardly slanted position thereof, feed pipe meansfor directing water to be frozen into said ice mold means, valve meanscontrolling said feed pipe means and responsive to the location of saidice mold means so as to be open only upon location of said ice moldmeans in said upwardly slanted position and so as to be closed uponlocation of said ice mold means in said horizontal and downwardlyslanted positions, and means for effecting a deformation of said icemold means and consequent ejection of ice cubes therefrom upon said icemold means being located in said downwardly slanted position.

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